For the love of all things vintage, clever, designed, and/or delicious, we celebrate objects and rituals in all their glory!

4.09.2009

L&G Storytime No.7: Modern Furniture, Its Design and Construction

Guess what time it is?....it's storytime!! YAYQuite possibly the number one reason to appreciate vintage is the furniture. I mean who can deny the power of minimalism, the quirkiness of organic designs, the richness of Danish teak? Furniture design truly hit its stride and this book written by Mario Dal Fabbro in 1949 was put together in the exciting early years.The book is an incredible mix of lightly dimensioned technical drawings of design classics like Saarinen’s Womb chair and the Eames’ LCM along with do-it-yourself style projects. The book covers everything from chairs, tables, and desks to built-ins and shelving systems. All the drawings are hand done and have a consistent quality to them that is consistent throughout the book. There’s something about them that is mesmerizing and makes you want to learn to draft the old fashioned way.We were particularly captivated by all the tricky folding designs that are throughout the book. In addition to some traditional folding furniture archetypes, there are a bunch of clever designs we’ve never seen before. Like these folding beds:Or this sideboard with a swivel out work surface:Or this articulating side table:All these swiveling and fold out actions is like could turn your house into a life-size pop-up book! They certainly don’t make things like they used to, which is why it’s so great to have vintage books remind and inspire us to take use a put a little bit of past in our present.